The Wall (2)
After falling into the forest, the only thing I'd ever hit that felt this solid was mostly rock. Sure, I'd tangled with beasts or monsters with tough bodies now and then, but those were cases of thick hides—too chewy and leathery to punch through easily, not iron-hard. I'd dealt with them somehow regardless. Even after entering civilization, it was the same. I'd chomped through iron swords with my teeth and smashed buildings to bits. But Lize's body, the one I'd struck with my fist. It looked like it had been carved from stone, yet its hardness surpassed even that. Tougher than my own body with the Steel King trait? That said it all. Anyone else would've shattered their fist ages ago.
"Brother Sivar's body is impressively tough as well. Normally, most people's fists would be wrecked by now."
Lize seemed to sense it too, flashing a satisfied smile. Her neatly aligned teeth were striking. In saintess mode, it would've been endlessly beautiful, but this was Kwonseong mode. Even her smile radiated intimidation. To me especially, it evoked the image of a true wall. An unbreakable wall, no matter how hard I hammered it.
No choice now. One option left: infuse it with mana.
I clenched my fist tight, condensing my mana like I'd learned before. Even though my red mana had devoured it, the sensation was still there, vivid enough. The moment I felt the mana gather in my fist, I drove it straight into Lize's abdomen.
Boom!!
A bare-fisted blow hadn't fazed her, so this was mana-infused. It had to land now. Even Hector had struggled against my punches—surely she wouldn't shrug this off.
"A spicier strike than before. Technically sound, plenty of mana too. Excellent work."
"?!"
She was fine. Utterly unscathed. I couldn't help but stare in shock.
As I'd mentioned before, in Soul World, her combat prowess only shone against demons. She rarely swung at humans otherwise, and Byzantine's neutrality kept her from wars. Add her hard-counter status against demons, and opinions on her were mixed. Against people, she might struggle, they'd say.
Struggle my ass!
Hitting her myself made it clear. All of it was an underestimate. Demon predator or whatever—irrelevant. Lize's body was just insanely tough, period.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
I unleashed a barrage to break through somehow. Countless fists hammered her abdomen. Rapid combos like this rarely happened without the perfect setup. Per Kara's explanation, they were inefficient and stamina-draining. Best saved for finishers or decisive moments. But half-measures were pointless here. Against her steel-surpassing durability, this was the only way—like sharpening a blade on a whetstone, slowly grinding down her defense.
Boom!
The final blow landed at the barrage's end. I slammed my fist dead-center into her gut. But all that effort? Pointless. Lize didn't budge an inch. Her face still wore that leisurely smile.
"All done? As I said, weapons are fine too."
Lize urged me on with her signature perky smile. I couldn't hold back anymore. I shook out my stinging hands roughly, then drew my left arm back. Silently, I called the weapon's name. I'd toyed with it enough in spare moments—no Hector or Kara around, so it'd fly to me even from this distance.
Whoosh—clack!
A familiar weight settled in my hand. Ragnarok had hurtled over and gripped tight.
"I-I-I hope the house doesn't get wrecked again..."
Lord, watching from afar, clicked his tongue and grumbled. I got what he was worried about. Ragnarok was stored at home as a backup; he must've fretted it'd trash the place again. I'd left it behind figuring no need against Lize. But to dent her? Unavoidable.
What was Lize's trait again? Kinda fuzzy.
Definitely beyond Steel King. Maybe mana or holy power involved. I slowly infused Ragnarok with mana. As a faith build—endgame gear for Gulaak worshippers—it packed lightning. Tough body or not, it'd overwhelm. My red mana? This axe could handle it.
Vrrr!
"Hm."
As I channeled mana, Ragnarok trembled. Lize's expression turned serious, sensing the threat. No more leisurely smile—this might actually work.
If it feels like death, she'll dodge on instinct.
She's stronger than me. Way stronger. She'd gauge the power gap objectively and judge. Too risky? Dodge. Fine? Stand firm.
I poured in enough mana for the axe to endure, then swung at her abdomen. She didn't evade—not even as the blade neared her gut.
Kaboom!!
The sound dwarfed my punches, shockwaves rippling out from us. Lucky this was an empty lot—my hair whipped wildly in the gale. The kind of blast from clashing titanic forces. I squeezed my eyes shut instinctively, then slowly opened them.
"Truly..."
My axe had buried into Lize's abdomen. Worlds apart from my punches.
"Truly... an outstanding strike!"
But barely. Just piercing skin into muscle. Blood soaked her clothes red, but that was it. Was this even a wound?
"To scar this flesh! Impressive, truly!"
Lize seemed amazed by the tiny gash. Her praising tone confirmed it—she was half in awe. But seriously, what the hell was her body made of? Now I was baffled.
"No. Why?"
The words slipped out despite myself. I stared at the axe in her gut, then looked up. Lize, beaming with satisfaction, yanked it free. The wound began healing instantly. Not just hardness—regeneration beyond human limits. She was as detached from normalcy as me.
"I've wandered on pilgrimages for decades, enduring countless trials and hardships. It was like a blacksmith tempering steel. That's how my deficient 'body' was forged."
Lize rubbed her now-pristine abdomen as she explained. What kind of pilgrimage forged that? Her zeal bordered on eccentricity, so I could grasp it somewhat. But this defied understanding.
"Eventually, like a chick hatching, my body transformed. In the East, they call it molting the bones and shedding the form."
"..."
"Heart as a supporter. Body gained through transformation. And finally, energy from fused mana and holy power. The result of tempering it all—this!"
Crunch—
Lize struck a pose, muscles rippling dynamically. Pecs like the Pacific flexed, veins bulging, evoking primal awe.
"Brother Sivar. Your body and energy are perfect. That's why you scarred mine. But your heart remains lacking. Master that heart, and you'll shatter my body—while gaining an unbreakable shield."
I stumbled back involuntarily. Her near-mad visage had spooked me, wild instincts be damned. The atmosphere was eerie. And with it, a Soul World descriptor for Lize resurfaced.
'A monster crafted by the gods...'
Extremes converge. To counter demons, she'd been forged as the ultimate weapon.
"Now, my turn. As I've stressed, no direct hits."
As I retreated, Lize spoke up. She'd crushed my momentum and stepped in. All I wanted was to turn tail and run. Fleeing wasn't shameful. Sometimes, you recognize your limits and bolt. A wild survival tenet.
"Berserk triggers on death's brink, right? So watch closely with eyes wide open."
Grip!
Too late for that. Lize clenched her right fist and closed in. I spun to flee—but her voice hit first.
"This is vivid death."
Two things filled my vision next.
Berserk
Kwaaaa!!
Lize's massive fist surging at my face.
And the crystal-clear death.
Time seemed to slow. Even with Berserk active, my mind stayed sharp. Her fist reached my nose, yet I couldn't even blink. Body frozen stiff, thoughts blank. Only one thing: the blood-draining terror of death.
Tap—
"..."
"..."
Her fist lightly bumped my nose tip. A feather-touch, worlds from the killing intent. That mere contact nearly buckled my legs. I barely held, but one nudge and I'd collapse.
Berserk
The system filled my view, but I ignored it. Couldn't focus. Lize's fist dominated my sight. What fist was face-sized?
"How do you feel, Brother Sivar?"
Her voice drifted from behind the fist. I realized then.
"The sensation of returning from death's edge?"
She was strong beyond words. As she slowly withdrew her fist, light returned to my shadowed face.
"You can handle it too. Humans have beastly sides—Berserk's no big deal."
Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart pounded wildly—afterimage of near-death? Meanwhile, Lize offered her hand instead, perky smile returning.
"You're human, Brother Sivar. No need to worry."
Definitely Kwonseong-mode Lize.
"I'll help you."
Why did she feel like the saintess?
Couldn't figure it out. No clue at all.